Catkin

“ The female flowers are in close ovate catkins, produced in clusters of four or five together, instead of being cylindrical and solitary, as in the Birch; the scales of the catkins, though three-lobed, are only two-flowered, and the flowers have two long stigmas like those of the Birch. The ovary has two cells and two ovules, but it only produces one seed. The ripe fruit is a nut without wings, attached at the base to the scale of the cone-like catkin, the scales of the catkin becoming rigid, and opening, like those of the Scotch Pine, as the seed ripens. ”

“ Tables 2 to 5 contain the mean of these estimates and a considerable variation in catkin hardiness in the different populations is evident. Red Lambert, which had the hardiest catkins of any variety of C. Avellana tried at Geneva, produced a higher proportion of catkin-hardy seedlings than any other variety. Cosford was fairly good in this respect and in orchard 16 Bollwiller, Italian Red, and Barcelona when crossed with Rush produced selections with moderately hardy catkins. [Pg 98]
Winter injury of catkins was nearly always very high in crosses between varieties of Corylus Avellana. ”

“ The fertile willow-catkins are those green caterpillar-like ones, commonly an inch or more in length, which develop themselves rapidly after the sterile yellow ones, which we had so admired, are fallen or effete. Arranged around the bare twigs, they often, form green wands from eight to eighteen inches long. A single catkin consists of from twenty-five to one hundred pods, more or less ovate and beaked, each of which is closely packed with cotton, in which are numerous seeds, so small that they are scarcely discernable by ordinary eyes. ”

“ When thinking of trees and shrubs in early spring we must remember those with beautiful catkins. Of the earliest flowering hardy trees and shrubs the majority are those with flowers borne in catkins. Their appearance is one of the first evidences of the approach of spring. It is to the catkin-bearing group that the Poplars, Willows, Birches, and Alders belong. These catkins are pendulous, cylindrical, and often slender inflorescences, carrying flowers of one sex only, which spring from the axils of scaly bracts. ”

“ The male catkins are small cones, with the pollen inclosed in four cases that are attached to the inside of the scale, near its base. The female catkins consist of six scales, with two ovules at the base of each; and the ripe cone has a sharp point projecting from each scale. The seeds have scarcely any wing; and when they germinate, they have only two cotyledons. The young plants send down a very long tap root (see fig. 99) , and have some of their leaves imbricated and others loose. ”

“ When allowed to grow uncut it attains a height of twenty or thirty feet; its long, smooth, and straight branches well furnished with very narrow leaves, tapering to a fine point, and sometimes nearly a foot in length. The margins of the leaf are quite free from teeth or lobes, and are curled back on the shining white silky underside. Both male and female flowers form catkins: 147 the males each consisting of a hairy scale, to which are attached two stamens; the females of a similar scale bearing the ovary. The catkins appear before the leaves, in March or April. ”

“ Then much like a goddess Cat-skins did appear.
Which caus’d her to startle, and thus for to say,
What Young Lady is this, Son, tell me, I pray,
He said, Why, ’tis Catkins, for whom sick I lie,
And without I have her, with speed I shall die.
His mother ran down then to tell the old knight,
Who ran up to see this amazing great sight,
He said, Why, ’tis Cat-skins, we hold in such scorn,
I ne’er saw a finer dame since I was born. ”

“ The barren catkins are short, elliptic, racemose, pale purple, mixed with yellow, and turning red before they fall. The fertile catkins are ovate-cylindrical; erect, on short peduncles when young, but when full-grown pendulous, and from four to six inches long, slightly curved, and composed of thin smooth scales, rounded at the base, and partly covered with white resin, particularly on the tips of the scales; apex of the scales thick, and seeds oval, of a dull gray. ”

“ The male catkins are about 11/2 in. long, and have pale-yellow anthers, bearing tufts of hairs at the apex; the female attain a length in the fruiting stage of 2 to 4 in., with bracts 1 to 11/2 in. long. ”

“ Then she answered, "To tell the truth, I did not cook it, but Catskin did." "Then let Catskin come up," said the King; and when she came, he said to her, "Who are you?" "I am a poor child," said she, "who has lost both father and mother." "How came you in my palace?" asked he. "I am good for nothing," said she, "but to be scullion girl, and to have boots and shoes thrown at my head." "But how did you get the ring that was in the soup?" ”

“ The young lord went the very next day to his mother, the lady of the castle, and declared he would wed none other but the lady of the silver dress, and would never rest till he had found her. So another ball was soon arranged for in hope that the beautiful maid would appear again. So Catskin said to the cook, "Oh, how I should like to go!" Whereupon the cook screamed out in a rage, "What, you, you dirty impudent slut! you would cut a fine figure among all the fine lords and ladies." And with that she up with a ladle and broke it across Catskin's back. ”

“ The doctor tried to cure him, but he would not take any medicine unless from the hands of Catskin. So the doctor went to the lady of the castle, and told her her son would die if she did not consent to his marriage with Catskin. So she had to give way, and summoned Catskin to her. But she put on her coat of beaten gold, and went to the lady, who soon was glad to wed her son to so beautiful a maid. ”

“ That Roman-nose is a magnificent fellow—he’s got no wife, has he, Daniel?” “No, Madam, he is the youngest man of the party.” “He is an elegant fellow—but then his skin, Daniel. Their skins are not so fine as the others—they are too black, or red, or what you call it; but Cadotte! what a beautiful colour he was, ha? But I dare say a little washing and living in a city would bring them nearly white? These people love Mr. Catlin—he’s a curious man—he’s a wonderful man; these are his old acquaintance, he has boarded with them; how they love him, don’t they? ”

“ After awhile the others arrived, bringing lots of nice berries with them. These the Cattiquins demanded, which the people refused to give, saying if they were not so lazy, they, too, might have plenty of fruit. Hearing this, the Cattiquins grew angry and trampled the berries under foot. Seeing this, the people armed themselves with clubs, bows, and spears, and were determined to kill the whole family. Seeing the turn of affairs, the Cattiquins made for their canoes and pushed into the river. The old folks were in such a hurry that some of the children were left behind. ”

“ See how the tree-tops are bendin'!—That's three times I heerd it now,” said Catty. “If ye live to be as old as me, you 'll not think light of a warnin'. You think your hearin' better because you're younger; but I tell you that there 's sounds that only reach ears that are goin' to where the voices came from. When eyes grow dim to sights of this world, they are strainin' to catch a glimpse of them that's beyond it.” Although no tears rose to her eyes, the withered face trembled in her agony, and her clasped hands shook in the suffering of her sorrow. ”

“ Catty stood a minute looking at the man, and then he kind of studied the sky and peered at the sand and waggled his head. “Pretty slick,” says he, and his voice was sort of admiring. “This man House isn’t anybody’s fool, is he. I like to see a man with brains, even if he is a pirate. Well, Mr. Guard, we’ll be getting along now, but you can get word to your boss that we’ll be back.” ”

“ If there is any one feature which distinguishes a Katcina it is the use, by some or all of the participants, of a mask or ceremonial helmet. The Katcinas are divided into two groups, the complete and the abbreviated; the former is constant year by year, the latter varying. Altars are present in the complete, absent in abbreviated presentations. A cloud-charm altar or invocation to the six world-quarter deities is sometimes made. Public announcements are not prescribed. The Tcukúwympkiya or clowns are generally present. ”

“ I asked Catty.
“Dunno, ’cause I dunno what I want it for.”
“Maybe my Dad ’u’d lend it to you,” says I.
“He won’t,” says Catty, emphatic.
“Why?”
“’Cause I won’t let him,” says he. “I’m goin’ to make it. Got to. Be more fun.”
“Fun!” says Mr. Atkins. “D’you call workin’ and makin’ money fun? Strange idee of fun. Fun’s somethin’ you laugh at and enjoy. Who ever heard of anybody laughin’ at work?”
“And we can’t live here,” says Catty.
“Why?” says Mr. Atkins.
“’Tain’t respectable. Houses without no winders into ’em hain’t respectable, and folks looks up to furniture and carpets.” ”

“ But, for all that, most of the folks felt just like they did at first, and there was lots of talk, and it was said that if Catty tried to go to school in the fall with the rest of the children that there was going to be genuine trouble. I told Catty this, but he just set his mouth like a pair of pinchers, and his eyes got like steel, and he says: “Dad and me are here to stay. They can’t drive us out. Maybe we hain’t as good as the rest of them yet, but we’re studyin’ and a-learnin’—and we’re makin’ money, too. ”

“ The one garment worn by the male Katcinas is the ceremonial kilt. This is not confined to them, but is likewise worn in other ceremonials, as in the Snake-Antelope observance and in minor celebrations. Every male Katcina, whatever his helmet, has one of these about his loins. It is made of coarse cotton, on the ends of which are embroidered symbolic figures of rain-clouds, falling rain, and lightning. Ordinarily half of the width is painted green, and the lower edge is black, with nine square blocks of the same color at regular intervals. ”

“ Most likely the mutineers have taken possession of it by now, both the Porpoise and your big yacht.”
“Then,” says Catty, “the Albatross is our only hope.”
“If there is any hope,” says I.
“I’m beginning to get an idea,” says Catty, “but we’ll have to wait for dark.”
“I hope it’s a good one,” says Mr. Dunn.
“It will be,” says Catty, “if it works.”
“Is there any danger in it?” says I.
“Plenty,” says Catty, as satisfied as a cat with a dish of cream.
“Then,” says I, “you can get right to work thinking up another one. What I want is something nice and safe—and comfortable.” ”

“ Bockers ’ll help us some, even if he does hurt us some.”
“I never ’u’d ’a’ thought of that scheme in the world,” says I.
“’Twasn’t much to think of,” says Catty. And that was just like him. He never was stuck up about the things he did, and it never tickled him to do something especial clever. He was all for business and manners and being respectable. If he could get what he wanted easy, why, he took it easy. If he had to use a lot of brains, why, he just went to work and used them. It didn’t seem to make a mite of difference to him. ”

“ Atkins, very short and prompt.
“Why?”
“Because I hain’t got nothin’ to do in this world but look after Catty and kind of make him glad he’s alive. Folks ought to be glad they’re alive. I be. I don’t want Catty to grow up and think that I ever denied him anythin’ that I could give to him that wasn’t harmful. Yes, if Catty says stay, why, we stay.”
“And what do you say, Catty?”
“I don’t say nothin’ yet. I hain’t ready to say. I got to think about a lot of things, and make up my mind what we’d do if we was to stay, and if Dad could be happy stayin’ instead of movin’ around. ”

“ She stopped and looked hard at Catty, who was standing very still, with his lips set and his eyes kind of like they was made out of pieces of polished steel. “He’s a tramp, and there’s no telling what else. Such people aren’t fit to be let at large. I don’t see what the town is thinking of not to shut them up or make them go away. You come right home, and never let me see you with that boy again. Now march.”
Catty looked at Mrs. Gage and looked at me and looked at Dad, and then he says to himself, “I sort of knew folks thought that about us, but I didn’t ever hear one of ’em say it before.” ”

“ What’s your idea of being respectable, Catty?”
“Why, to work and git all tired out, and to eat with somethin’ besides a knife, and to wear good clothes. Then folks respects you. I dunno why.”
“I thought you could think, Catty,” says Dad.
“I calc’late to.”
“But you’re not thinking. When you think you have to dig down into things and not just look at the skin. You’re looking at the skin.”
“If I be,” says Catty, “I hain’t enjoyin’ the looks of it.”
“You’re all wrong. Work and clothes and manners aren’t respectability. They’re just signs of it. ”

“ Catlin muttered.
He felt strangely dizzy. That was the sheen of the candlelight flickering on the glistening gossamer; that, and the smell of the dead incense crawling into his lungs and into his very blood.
He began to walk to and fro in front of the curtain. Presently he said slowly, “There is one solution. This man I killed—you knew him, is that it? He might have been your enemy. Let us say, he belonged to a rival Tong. That is why you offer me your help?” ”

“ I always do," said Lady Cathay, with wondering eyes.
"And I have taken mine black, as I always do. There is the whole difference—in one suggestive detail."
"Tell me more' said Lady Cathay gently, as the maid withdrew.
"You are all pearls, and purity, and propriety."
"And prunes and prism," added Lady Cathay, laughing.
"No, no. Prunes-and-prism does not take coffee at all—it keeps her awake. You are pearls and purity—I am sin and sequins."
"You say terrible things of yourself."
"Remember that I have been living in London and have not told the truth for three months. ”